KIRILL Kotsegarov and Lucy Gossage proved dominant forces as they became 2016 Ironman UK champions.

Estonian Kotsegarov beat Marcus Thomschke into second place with a superb run that proved just too hot for his German rival to handle.

Gossage, from Cambridge, made it three wins in the last four years, with the run again the decisive discipline.

Kotsegarov made it three Ironman career wins, his first at Bolton, and revealed he had to perform in Bolton to make it to the world Ironman event in Hawaii.

"I needed to win or come second to qualify for Kona," he said after finishing in 8hrs 41mins 13secs.

"Winning Ironman UK was my plan.

"It was just amazing. You don't get the chance to win Ironman very often so it came together on one day."

Frenchman Romain Guillaume set the pace for much of the race, building a good lead which began to be eaten into by Kotsegarov and Thomschke in the latter stages of the demanding 112-mile cycle through the Rivington and Lancashire countryside.

"The chase duo overtook Guillaume and pulled well away from early in the run, and then the German found he could not live with his rival in the later stages of the run, coming in in 8:50:03.

"It was about 30km on the run I knew I could not beat him," said Thomschke.

"But I am very happy with second and it was a very good time on this course, so I'm very happy."

Thomschke, who said his target was to finish in the top five to get the points he needs to qualify for the Hawaii world final, admitted he settled for second and ran within himself for the last few miles.

"The runner in front was too far away and I was too far away from the runner behind so I could relax," he said.

"Kotsegarov, aged 29, said of his performance: "the bike was tough for me, I suffered because it's just a tough bike course, very technical.

"But I was very pleased with the run. I ran three minutes 45/50 seconds per kilometre. The run was the best thing for me."

Gossage justified her outstanding favourite tag with another stunning performance, and was thankful for having Belgian Tine Deckers push her for much of the race.

"I knew I would have to have a really good race to win because Tine's a fantastic athlete," she said.

Deckers led the 36-year-old doctor from Cambridge until the later stages of the cycle when the reigning champion overtook her and eventually crossed the finish line in 9:26:05. Deckers followed in 9:45:21.

"I was quite tactical, I wanted to get off the bike leading because I would like to think my run would be good enough if I am ahead of her.

"It was the most special of the three wins. I didn't come here to get second because the support here is so amazing.

"People are just cheering you round the whole course, it's like one big ego boost."